Not Your Average Day Off
by Mustache Cat
Summary: It's Officer Hopps' day off, until she has to take a very interesting case. This missing militant might require some of Hopps' and Wilde's best detective work to find. Please do leave your lovely reviews! I would love feedback on what I could improve on and your thoughts on the story overall!
1. Chapter 1

. . . .

Judy Hopps' eyes shoot open as she's awoken by a blaring ringing sound coming from under her pillow. She groans and digs around under her pillow until she finally produces her phone. The screen is on full brightness, and it feels like it's burning her eyes in the darkness. She squints and her eyes start to adjust. She makes out the name "Bogo" on the screen. This was supposed to be her day off. What could he possibly want?

She sighs and answers it, "Sir?"

"I need you to come in today." The Chief barks from the other end of the line. "We have a special case for you and Wilde." He says.

Judy groans, "Today was supposed to be my day off."

Bogo huffs, "I know, but this is urgent. And Wilde is already at your door, so I suggest you hurry."

"Huh?" Judy says as there's a knock at her door. She sighs, "I'll be there in a bit."

"I can always count on you, Hopps." Bogo says before hanging up.

Judy nods, "Yeah.." She taps her screen and hangs up. She pulls her uniform on in record time and opens her apartment door to find Nick leaning against the wall looking ready as ever.

As they're leaving the building, Nick puts on the sunglasses that had become part of his outfit. "Any idea what this is about?" Nick asks as he gets in the car. It's not a patrol car, but his own personal car.

Judy looks at him, confused. "No? Why don't you have a patrol car?"

"It was my day off too." Nick explains plainly. Judy shrugs and gets in the car and casually turns on the radio. They sit in silence the rest of the way to the station.

. . . .

When they arrive at the station, Bogo is waiting for them. "Chief, what is this about?" Judy asks. There is no acceptable reason to awaken a sleeping bunny on her day off.

"Come to my office. I'll give you the rundown." He says, gesturing for them to follow him. As they walk side by side, Bogo starts explaining. "About ten days ago, one of our only leads to another case dropped off the grid." Judy and Nick look at each other skeptically. Bogo motions them into his office, where the two officers sit in front of his desk, accompanied a few seconds later by the Chief himself. He sits down behind his desk and digs around in his drawers before setting a case file in front of the two officers "Adrienne Softpaw. We believe she's connected to a number of cases, but she's been M.I.A. for about ten days now."

Judy pulls the file towards her and opens it, looking through Adrienne's profile as Bogo continues to speak.

"Spent six years in the military, two of which were spent deployed. She's worked her way up to become a highly decorated, elite soldier."

"How highly decorated?" Judy asks,

The Chief nods, "Two Bronze Stars, A Flying Cross, Three Purple Hearts, and Seven Badges of Recognized Merit."

Judy raises her eyebrows, "Wow. Keep going."

The Chief nods and continues, "Nevertheless, she was dishonorably discharged after reports say she went crazy and opened friendly fire on the base she was stationed at. She caused nine casualties that day; two of which were deaths."

Both Judy and Nick rapidly take notes while Bogo runs them down on the case.

"That was three years ago." The Chief says, "After that, she became an alcoholic, then she went into rehab for a year. She came out of rehab and immediately relapsed. She started relying on con schemes to make her money, and now, she's off the grid completely."

Judy looks confused, "What do you mean, off the grid?"

"I mean she's a ghost. No phone, no address, no outside references, no driver's license, credit cards, social security, insurance, nothing. Anything you could ever use to track this girl down, she's completely erased. I don't know how or why, but she's done it. She doesn't even have an established residence anywhere. She never stays in the same place for more than a few days, so-"

"I'm sorry to interrupt Sir," Nick cuts in, "But what's your point in all of this?"

Bogo sighs and says in a stern tone, "My point is that unless you two do some of your most serious detective work, you're not going to find this girl unless she wants to be found."

Judy continues to flip through Adrienne's file, to find photos on the last page. They're all photo's from her military days. She's a Bobcat of a stocky and very strong build. She appears to be about Nick's height, and in every photo, she's armed and in uniform. Judy looks through three pages of photos. They're all basically the same. Adrienne and another soldier posing with their guns for a photo-op. Except for one. On the last page, is an old photo of a young bobcat girl in a schoolyard. She's standing next to another girl; a puma. After a few minutes of scanning the photos again and again, Nick realizes the the other soldier in the pictures from the military is the girl next Adrienne in the schoolyard.

Nick looks up at Bogo, "We have our lead. Thank you sir."

Bogo nods, "You're dismissed."

. . . .


	2. Chapter 2

. . . .

Nick continues to scan the old schoolyard photo, "I know where this is. But it got shut down about twenty years ago."

"Perhaps there's some clues there as to what happened to our missing vet?" Judy inquires.

"Only one way to find out." Nick says.

. . . .

Nick drives them way out of town and onto the poorly maintained country roads a few miles outside the outskirts of the city.

They pull up to the abandoned school and step out of the car. A gentle wind whistles through the still and silent air. They approach the old school and the door slowly creaks open by itself.

Judy looks at Nick worriedly, "I'm already creeped out on a number of levels. How did you know this was here?"

Nick completely ignores her question and cautiously enters the one room schoolhouse. It's dusty and cobwebs cover every inch of the desks. The teacher's desk sits in the corner. Judy pulls out a flashlight and quickly clicks it on and starts to search the teacher's filing cabinet. Nick notices there are still student nameplates on all the desks, but they're rusty and deteriorated, making them hard to make out. Judy pulls a filing folder out of one of the drawers and opens it up.

"Teacher was a tortoise by the name of Lucinda Shella. Started teaching here in her sixties. That was years ago. She's bound to be retired by now."

"Does it give an address?" Nick asks

Judy nods slowly, "5382 North Leatherback Avenue, but I'll be damned if she still lives there."

"Let's go." Nick waves his hand, beckoning to Judy to follow him.

. . . .

As they pull up to the given address, Nick gets chills. The house is rickety and poorly maintained. It looks as though it would turn to dust at any moment. He gets out of the car, grabs a satchel out of the back seat, and slowly walks up the short, creaky staircase, followed by Judy. "This looks like the place." He says quietly before knocking on the door. They wait a few seconds before the door slowly opens and an old tortoise cranes her neck to see the two Officers.

"Lucinda Shella?" Judy asks.

The tortoise nods gently, "Yes?" Her scraggly voice sounds like sandpaper. It shows her many long years of speaking loudly to students.

Judy steps forward, "I'm Detective Judy Hopps, and this is my partner, Officer Nick Wilde. We just have a few questions about a former student of yours."

Lucinda gives a friendly smile and nods, gesturing for them to enter. "Yes, of course. Please do come in. Make yourself at home."

They nod and gratefully cross the threshold. The old tortoise leads them to the living room very slowly. She uses a cane made from sturdy oak, and even then, she still struggles to walk stably; her shell is cracked and battered, showing her age even more.

After a few minutes, they finally take a seat in the living room. Judy and Nick sit next to each other on a small couch, and Lucinda in an old wooden rocking chair across from them. "I'm happy to see a fox working with the police." She says. Her words are long and dragged out, "Society has come a long way since I was your age."

Judy smiles and nods, "I'm sure." She takes the case file out of Nick's satchel and lies it on the coffee table. She opens it to the last page of photos. "Mrs. Shella, do you remember.." She points to Adrienne in the old schoolyard photo, "This girl?"

Lucinda picks up a small pair of reading glasses off the table and puts them on, squinting at the photo. "Perhaps… Oh, how foolish of me. I never offered you two a drink. Would you like some tea?"

"No, thank you." Judy says with a smile. Nick politely shakes his head.

Lucinda continues to look the photo over. "Is this…?" She begins.

"Adrienne Softpaw." Nick says.

The old tortoise leans back in her chair and sighs, removing her glasses. "Oh yes, I remember little Adrienne." Her gravelly voice is tinted with a twinge of sadness, "She was always such a sad, and disturbed little girl."

Nick and Judy look at each other and Nick quickly starts writing things down.

"She was often picked on by the other children," Lucinda continues, "And she seldom spoke to anyone. Even me."

Judy nods, "This is all incredibly useful information, Mrs. Shella. Please do go on." She points to the young Puma next to Adrienne in the old photo, "Do you remember the other girl in this picture?"

Mrs. Shella nods and breathes deeply, "Oh.. That was Adrienne's best and only friend, Anna. Oh, she was such a nice young lady. Those two were like peas in a pod. Neither of them got along with the other children, but they got along with each other. There were only a few times I'd ever heard Adrienne speak, and every time, it was to Anna."

Nick keeps rapidly scribbling notes before stopping and looking up, waiting for the story to continue.

Lucinda's voice shakes with fear, "It all went downhill from there. Anna transferred to a different school, leaving Adrienne to fend for herself. Adrienne went crazy. She shut everyone out, and she started having… Episodes."

Nick looks confused, "Episodes, ma'am?"

She nods, "It was frightening. At seemingly random times, she would lose all self control. She would attack the other children, yelling nonsensical things. She acted like a wild animal… Every time her episodes ended, she would come crying to me, asking me to help her, but I never knew how. Now that I recall, there was a song that could calm her down during an attack. I'm trying to think of how it went…"

Judy shakes her head, "No, that's alright, Mrs. Shella. The song isn't that important. Just tell-"

She's interrupted by the tortoise's raspy voice quietly singing a little melody. It takes a short while for Judy to realize the lyrics to the song are macabre and deathly. Once the song ends, Shella sighs. "It's a very dark song, but it always seemed to calm her down."

Nick looks up from his notepad, "When was the last time you saw her?"

She pauses to think for a few moments, then she hesitates for a couple seconds before saying, "That was the day she went missing. We looked and looked, but we had no clue where she went. Then we found her." Her voice is suddenly very quiet. "She was hiding under a nearby bridge, talking to herself. She seemed to be carrying on a conversation with someone who wasn't there. We tried to speak to her, but she didn't respond. It's like she didn't even know we were there."

"Why was she hiding?" Judy asks.

"I have no idea. But after that, I never saw her again, and the school was shut down and I was forced to retire." She slumps down into her chair. "My memory fades. I'm afraid that's all I can remember for now. I need rest." She shakes her head in disbelief, "It- It's been twenty years."

Judy nods, "That is a long time." She smiles, " Well, I think we have all we need. Thank you so much Mrs. Shella; this information is incredible."

"You two can return anytime you need more stories about little Adrienne." She replies.

Judy nods, "Thank you."

As they're getting in the car, Nick looks over to Judy and asks, "Where do we go from here?"

Judy thinks for a moment before smiling, "I got it."

. . . .


	3. Chapter 3

. . . .

Nick looks over to Judy as they're driving back to the station to review their info.

"We need to talk to Adrienne's best friend." Judy informs, "But Mrs. Shella didn't give us anything but a first name, which could make her a bit hard to find."

Nick shakes his head, "I know what to do." He quickly makes an illegal U-turn and heads back the way they came.

Judy looks at him skeptically, "What's your plan?"

"I saw nameplates on the desks at the school. I thought maybe we could find Anna's last name there."

"Mrs. Shella said Anna transferred schools." Judy points out. "They wouldn't have kept the nameplate."

Nick sighs and nods, "It's worth a shot."

. . . .

They walk between the rows of desks, looking long and hard at each and every nameplate, trying to read them. Judy searches every cabinet and drawer in sight, as well as every storage closet.

"I'm not seeing it, Nick." Judy calls out from one of the closets in the corner of the dark classroom.

Nick shakes his head, "Damn. Well, they've gotta have a record of all the students, right? Like a roster?"

Judy shrugs, "Maybe?"

Nick scours the teacher's desk drawers and filing cabinet for any kind of roster of listing of student names. "Nothing."

They sit and think for a long while before Judy looks up, "Don't military uniforms usually have the soldier's last name patched on them?" She quickly pulls out one of the photos from the case file. She shines her flashlight on the photo, trying to get a good look at Anna's uniform.

"... It looks like… Sorocco? It's hard to make out.."

Nick steps outside and punches a number into his phone. He puts it up to his face and waits a moment before saying, "Hey, Clawhauser, it's Wilde. We're out in the field and we need you to pull a file for us… Yes, we believe the name is Anna Sorocco. Yes, thank you sir." He puts his phone back in his pocket and looks at Judy, "File's waiting for us at the station."

"S-so the name was right?" Judy asks,

Nick shrugs and nods as he paces toward the car. "Apparently."

. . . .

When they arrive at the station, Clawhauser is waiting at the front desk with his usual grin as he hands Judy a folder, "Here you are, my dear."

Judy nods and smiles, "Thank you."

Nick looks over Judy's shoulder at the newly acquired profile. It shows several pictures; a front shot and side profile of her face as well as a couple full body shots similar to Adrienne's military photos. "What kinda stuff does it say?" Nick asks.

Judy reads through basic information like Species, Birthdate, Sex, Height, and other physically descriptive details, as well as most of Anna's bio before reading aloud, "Currently stationed at Z.A.F. Military Base, just a few miles off the eastern border of Sahara Square."

"Z.A.F…?" Nick asks.

Judy nods, "I can only assume that stands for Zootopian Armed Forces."

"Let's hit it." He says. As he leaves the main office building, he puts on his signature sunglasses and gets in an available patrol car, motioning for Judy to follow.

. . . .


	4. Chapter 4

. . . .

When they reach Sahara Square, they take a turn onto a dusty, but well maintained road, which continues in a straight line for about ten miles, before it ends at a barbed wire gate, guarded by two soldiers in distinct, desert camo uniforms. The patrol car comes to a stop and Nick rolls down his window as one of the soldiers approaches.

The soldier is a rather tall cheetah; slim and athletic, with an angular and slightly threatening face. "Can I help you, Officer?" He asks humbly.

"My name is Nick Wilde, and this is my partner, Judy Hopps. We're currently investigating a case relating to the Adrienne Softpaw incident."

The soldier nods, "I need to see badges, case I.D., as well as the case file itself before I can authorize entry."

They both nod and flash their badges as Nick retrieves the case file from his bag. He looks at the first page of the file and reads aloud, "Case I.D. is 435FA28B." He hands the file to the soldier, who looks through it before nodding and giving a thumbs up to the second gate guard.

They hear a loud buzzing noise as the gate rattles open and the gate guard gives them the all clear to go through. As they continue down the sand trail road, Judy looks to Nick and says, "Have you ever thought about how ironic the name 'Softpaw' is? Especially for someone who was trained for six years to kill people?"

Nick chuckles and shakes his head. After another half hour of driving down the straight road, a sprawling military compound emerges into view out of the dust. Nick is shocked, "Did you have any idea this was here?"

Judy shakes her head, "I didn't get a memo."

The base's main roadways are bustling with vehicles of all sorts. They park their patrol car outside a hangar and meander inside, to immediately find a very well dressed and rather attractive female wolf, sassily barking orders to passing soldiers.

Nick coughs, not exactly inconspicuously trying to get the wolf's attention. "Ahem,"

She looks down at the fox, "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't see you there. I'm Director Lupus, and how can I help you today, Officer?"

Nick steps forward and says confidently, "Ma'am, we are currently investigating a case related to the Adrienne Softpaw incident, and we would like to speak to Lieutenant Anna Sorocco."

Lupus looks down and shakes her head, "I'm sorry Officer. Lieutenant Sorocco was killed in combat years ago."

Judy is shocked, "...Oh… Well… Then we would like access to her wing of the barracks..."

The Director shakes her head once more, "That wing of the barracks was closed down after the attack and it has not been reopened. I can't authorize non-military personnel."

Judy sighs and shakes her head. "Okay. I understand," She says as she turns and begins to walk away.

Lupus sighs as she watches the two Officers leave, "Wait. You said you were investigating the Adrienne Softpaw case?"

Judy stops in her tracks and turns back around to look at the Director, "Recently, Adrienne has dropped off the map completely. Gone off the grid. She's our only lead on another case, we've been instructed to find her."

The Director nods, "That girl knows how to disappear. I hope you find her, because God only knows what kind of horrible things she's prepared to do to stay hidden." She sighs, obviously getting slightly emotional over the situation. "When you find her… Be careful. She's not afraid to kill you."

Judy smiles gratefully, "I'll be okay, Director. I have this." Judy points to a taser on her belt. Director Lupus simply shakes her head, which elicits a worried look from Judy, "You mean this won't stop her?" Judy asks.

"It'll slow her down. But you may need something a bit more potent if you want to put her on the ground. Adrienne was among our highest ranks; and she will go to great lengths to get what she wants. You'll need to strike fast, and never let her out of your sight. Because if she gets away from you, she'll disappear again and this time you won't find her." Director Lupus hangs her head and sighs, remembering Adrienne's sad story. "All of Adrienne's belongings are in an evidence chest in my office. I can grant you access if, once you find her, you can bring her here to me. I need to speak to her."

Judy smiles and nods, "Thank you _so_ much, Director. You can count on us."

. . . .


	5. Chapter 5

. . . .

A/N Okay, so the reason I delayed this chapter for two weeks is because… _*drumroll*_ I was on vacation in Washington D.C! It was quite literally the best time of my life, and I can't express in words how happy I am. To make it up to you, I've written a double length chapter! I hope you forgive me for being late; and now *ahem* now back to your regularly scheduled programming.

. . . .

Director Lupus stands in the corner of her office quietly watching Judy and Nick as they sort through the things in the evidence safe. Nothing too important; some old photos, much like the ones in the case file. Along with a few books on various subjects. But there is one item in particular that catches Judy's eye; a small, black leather journal with Adrienne's name on it.

"This is everything?" Judy asks with slight disappointment.

Director Lupus nods silently.

There's not much here; what could they possibly get from any of this? Most of the pages are torn out, but the last few are still there, and they seem to tell quite a story. Adrienne's handwriting is very small and neat, with looping and flowing letters that have a very appealing slant. The first in tact page reads:

 _Finally. A week off for just myself and Anna. We went to that one exotic bar for a drink last night. I hooked up with this really cute guy and Anna made a new friend with the bartender, Shade. That fox really knows how to make a good cocktail._

"Nick, look at this." Judy says, handing the journal off to her partner. Nick reads the entry quietly to himself, then flips to the next page.

"This one's dated a week later." He says.

 _Just got word from Director Lupus that I'm being deployed again tomorrow. Same place as last time. Sometimes I wish I wasn't an elite soldier; then I wouldn't be put on the front lines as often. But according to the memo I got, at least Anna will be out on the field with me this time._

The next entry isn't dated, and Adrienne's usually neat handwriting had grown frantic and scribbly, sometimes to the point where it was hard to read.

 _She's gone. She's dead. I watched her die._

 _Sniper caught her right in the chest, and I knew she only had a few minutes left._

" _You'll be okay. You're gonna be fine." I tried to calm her down but she just kept screaming._

 _When the screaming stopped, I looked into her eyes to find nothing but a cold and empty wraith staring back at me._

Judy shakes her head as tears well up in her eyes, "Oh, God… Nick…"

Nick nods, quietly. He closes his eyes and hangs his head before saying, "Keep reading."

"I'm not sure if I want to. It's too sad." She says as a tear rolls down her cheek. Nonetheless, she turns the page and nearly screams. "This was the day of the attack." She says. The page is full of mindless scribbles and words that seem to be written in blood. The words are nearly impossible to make out, but as far as Judy can tell, it's just a few different things written over and over again. " _Help me. Make it stop. Die._ " Judy slams the journal shut and breaks down in tears. "I can't do it, Nick. I can't." She collapses to the ground, "She must've felt like she was being torn apart. I mean, to watch your best friend die, and then act like it's nothing? Can you imagine-"

Director Lupus steps forward and hesitates slightly before saying, "I think it's best if you two leave. For your own sake."

Judy shakes her head and says through muffled sobs, "No. What if there's more clues here than just the-"

Nick holds Judy close to him comfortingly and says, "Judy, it's time to go. Besides, I think I know where to go next."

Judy looks up at Nick through her tears, "Where?"

Nick picks Adrienne's journal back up and opens it to the first entry. "She said she went to an exotic bar. I think I know where that is, and if we're lucky, we can catch her there."

Judy sniffles and starts regaining her composure, "Okay."

The sun starts to set on the horizon as they drive the long, dusty road

Nick looks over to her for a moment, then back at the road. She's obviously still distressed about what she had found in Adrienne's journal. He sighs, then waits a few moments before saying, "Ever been to a bar, Carrots?"

. . . .

As they walk into the bar, they're greeted by a friendly voice from behind the counter. "Hey, strangers. How y'all doing on this fine Wednesday night?" Behind the bar stands a stunningly beautiful fox. Her fur is deep black and her eyes are a marvelous turquoise.

Nick smiles charmingly as he takes a seat on a stool, "You must be Shade."

The black fox nods with pride, "Sure am. Can I get you anything?" She says, eyeing Nick with a slight smile. "Champagne? Double shot? Whiskey? House favorite? Chardonnay?" The fox looks down at Judy and her smile turns into a smirk, "And for you… How about a juice box?"

Judy rolls her eyes and shakes her head. "With all due respect, ma'am," She says with slight agitation in her voice, "We're not here to drink. We're looking for someone. Are you familiar with Adrienne Softpaw?"

Shade nods, "Course. Why? Did something happen to her?"

Judy shakes her head, "Recently, she's disappeared. Gone off the grid."

Shade looks confused, "How can she have disappeared? She's a regular here; she comes in every Tuesday and Thursday. Is she in some kinda trouble?"

"No, no." Says Nick, "We just need her for questioning and things of the sort."

Shade nods in agreement, "You should be able to catch her here tomorrow if you-"

She's interrupted when the bells that hang over the door chime as the door swings open. The patron that enters is a very intimidating bobcat. She's slightly taller than Nick, and built like a tank. She wears drab green cargo pants that sit low on her hips in an almost sultry fashion, and a basic white tank top that shows off her toned physique. Her eyes are a deep emerald green, and a tuft of fur on her head falls down over half her face. Her dogtags ting against her chest with every step she takes.

Shade puts on a smile and calls out, "Adri! Surprise seeing you here on a Wednesday!"

Adrienne nods, "Yeah, I just have a lot on my mind, and I-"

The second she catches sight of Nick, a sly smirk slowly spreads across her face. "Well, if my tail ain't fluffy. Nicholas Wilde." Her voice is coarse and has a slight rasp from years of yelling on the battlefield.

Nick twitches his tail nervously and he quickly tries to change the subject. "Adri! I didn't expect to find you here. Wow, your arms look amazing, have you been working out? Look, I know-"

Adrienne quickly cuts him off, "You think you can just show up outta nowhere after two years? And wearing a cop uniform of all things! How'd you manage to get your filthy paws on one of those?"

Judy steps between the two of them and silences Adrienne. Judy looks at Nick, confused, "Nick, you know her?"

Nick sighs and hangs his head, "It's a long story. I- I know, I should've told you, I just couldn't bring myself to it."

Adrienne continues, "You owe me a lot of money, Wilde. You jeopardized our mission, and then took thirty thousand dollars for yourself? We had agreed to split that money, and-"

Nick cuts her off, "Adri, I was putting my ass on the line to save yours."

Adrienne nods sarcastically, "Oh, okay. And saving my ass included leaving me stranded in a blizzard with a knife in my leg? I almost died that night."

Nick huffs, "Too bad you didn't," he says under his breath.

"Stop it, both of you!" Judy shouts. To her own surprise, they both quiet down immediately.

Adrienne turns and begins to walk away, "I'm done talking to you. Come see me when you have something important to say." As she's walking away, she bumps into an obviously drunk wolverine. He's a little shorter than her, but clearly much stronger. He instantly turns around to face her with his paws up in front of his face like he wants to fight, "Hey! You wanna start something?!" He shouts very aggressively.

Adrienne shakes her head and backs up slowly, "No, I just- it was an accident; I just-" She's interrupted when the wolverine bluntly bats her across the face. Adrienne staggers, but quickly recovers and puts her paws up defensively after wiping a spot of blood from her nose. "Fella, you sure you wanna do this?" She says threateningly.

He nods pulls a small pistol out of his jacket and levels it at Adrienne, drunkenly trying to hold it steady.

Adrienne smiles almost psychotically, "You're gonna shoot me?" She nods, "Do it. Pull the trigger." Adrienne rushes forward and a loud bang is heard as she disarms the wolverine, knocking him to the floor. As Adrienne stands there with the gun in her paw, she suddenly notices a sharp pain in her side. She looks down to find a fresh bullet hole that slowly drips blood onto the wooden bar floor.

She sighs as her vision starts to blur, "Ah, not again." Her vision flares red as she staggers around the bar. Nick gets up and tries to support her, but she quickly shrugs him off, "I don't need your help, Wilde. I'm fine." A few moments later, her legs give out and her vision fades to black as the floor rushes up to meet her.

. . . .


	6. Chapter 6

. . . .

Adrienne slowly opens her eyes and takes in her surroundings. She's in a hospital bed. There's a dull, throbbing pain in her side. She slowly starts craning her neck to look around; there's an I.V in her right arm, which is connected to a bag of some unknown liquid drug, most likely some sort of pain-killer. She finds she's still in her own filthy clothes, and her shirt is soaked in blood. She gently lifts her shirt to find the bullet hole in her right side patched and cauterized. She groans, which finally gets the attention of Judy, who sits patiently in the chair in the corner of the hospital room.

"You're awake." Judy says softly and with slight happiness in her voice, "How are you feeling?"

Adrienne groans once more, "Eh. I've seen better days."

Judy smiles and nods, "There's someone out in the waiting room who wants to see you."

Adrienne nods her head slowly, "Bring them in."

Judy leaves the room and a few minutes later, is replaced by a tall, slender female wolf. Adrienne raises her eyebrows in surprise, "Director Lupus. What are you doing here?"

"Good god, Adri. You look like hell." The Director says.

Adrienne nods sarcastically, "Good to see you too. What are you doing here?"

"Well, I had originally planned on having you come to me to talk, but when I found out you were in the hospital, I figured you wouldn't be allowed to leave, so I came to visit." Lupus explains. "I have something for you." She says, reaching into her bag. She pulls out a relatively small white box with no discernible markings. "I was digging around in my desk drawers, and I found this."

Adrienne looks up at the Director gratefully as she starts to open the box.

Lupus quickly stops her, "Not yet. Don't open it until the time is right."

Adrienne looks confused, "Ma'am?"

Lupus nods with a slight smile on her face, "You'll know."

Adri nods, "Thank you." She raises a salute to the Director, who respectfully returns it.

Lupus checks her watch and then returns her attention to her hospitalized friend. "I must be going." She hesitates for a moment before saluting Adrienne once more, "Godspeed, Lieutenant."

That phrase. It gives Adrienne momentary flashbacks to her time in the military, and when her mind returns to reality, Director Lupus is gone.

Judy returns to Adrienne's bedside. The first thing Adrienne notices is Judy is no longer wearing her police uniform. Instead, she wears a casual t-shirt and blue jeans, and a nametag that says, " _Judy Hopps: Volunteer Supervisor"_

"Here." Adrienne hands the small white box to Judy, "Can you put this up on that shelf for me?" Judy nods and does as she's told.

"Let's get you cleaned up." Says Judy. She carefully removes the I.V from Adrienne's arm and tries to help her sit up. "Can you walk?"

Adrienne swings her legs over the side of the bed, "We'll find out." She cautiously pushes off the bed and shifts her weight onto her feet. She puts her right foot forward first. As soon as she leans her weight on it, a crippling, fiery pain stabs her in the side and she nearly falls to the floor. She quickly recovers and tries again. After a few failed tries, she finally gets accustomed to the burning sensation in her side, and manages to walk. She can only stay on her right foot for a short time, resulting in an awkward limp.

Judy smiles, "Good job." She leads Adrienne out of the room and points down the hospital corridor, "Shower room is down the hall and on the right. I'll have fresh clothes for you in just a few minutes.."

Adrienne nods gratefully, "Thank you."

. . . .

When Adrienne enters the shower room, she immediately notices that it is very clean and well maintained. The walls are made of crisp white tile, and the floor is the same. Along the back wall are six shower stalls all in a row. On the opposite wall are sinks with mirrors above them. She stands in front of the mirror and take off her shirt to reveal a massive scar running diagonally across her midriff, and dozens of smaller scars scattered across her back. She sighs and lightly runs her paws over the ridged scars, remembering back to how they got there. She shakes her head and snaps back to reality. She hasn't had a decent shower in weeks; her fur shines with grease and is matted with dirt, not to mention the smell. She finishes undressing and gets herself a stall.

Adrienne takes a cold shower, as always. The water that comes out of the showerhead is smooth and crystal clear, while the water that runs off Adrienne is dark and gritty. She takes her sweet time to deep cleanse every part of her body, making sure not a single spot is missed. For the first time in her life, Adrienne turns up the temperature to the hotter side and just stands in the shower, basking in the warm water for ten straight minutes.

She hears the shower room door open and Judy calls out, "Here's your clean clothes, when you're ready, Adri."

Adrienne smiles, "Thank you, Officer." She says in gratitude.

Judy chuckles, "You can just call me Judy."

Adrienne nods to herself, "Thanks, Judy." The door closes, and Adrienne returns to her thoughts. After all these years, it feels so strange to have someone to call by their first name, instead of their title. She hesitates for a moment before smiling to herself.

When she gets out of the shower, her fur is soft and fluffy, though still wet. The tuft of fur on top of her head falls down in front of her face like a wet mane. She parts it to one side and grabs a towel, quickly drying herself before grabbing the set of clothes Judy had left her. A simple black t-shirt, and blue jeans the fit her figure slimmer than she'd like.

She comes out of the shower room to find Judy sitting in a chair, reading a book while she waits for Adrienne. Judy lowers her book and smiles at Adrienne, who responds with a confused look.

"Why are you waiting up for me?" Adrienne asks, "You're a cop, you have important things to do. Go do those things. Do your job."

Judy chuckles, "Right now, my job is to take care of you. I volunteered because no one else wanted to do it. Everyone else thought you weren't safe to be around; they said you were a mess."

"And… What do you think?"

Judy waits a moment before nodding, "I still see some good in you. I wanna see if I can bring it out. C'mon, let's get you something to eat."

For Adrienne, this is all frightening and exciting at the same time. Judy Hopps is her friend. She hasn't had a good friend in years. It's odd. Why is an award winning police officer wasting her time on a lost cause like Adrienne Softpaw? Adri doesn't know; but she loves it nonetheless.

. . . .


	7. Chapter 7

. . . .

A/N So, if you're enjoying this story, might I recommend that you go check out " _Recovery_ " by _CandySandy123_. We have very similar writing styles, and the plot is splendid! Just a suggestion. Also, I know I'm crazy late on this chapter, and I'm not going to make excuses; I had a lot on my mind and time got away from me. It shouldn't happen again and I sincerely apologize.

. . . .

As the two walk down the hospital corridor, Adrienne looks around, taking her surroundings. "What is this place?" She asks, "This is unlike any hospital I've ever been to."

"This isn't just a hospital." Judy explains, "This is a long term recovery center. You're staying here until the ZPD can get it's answers from you."

Adrienne shakes her head, "I'm not talking to the ZPD. Especially not to Wilde."

Judy sighs, "Well… Would you talk to me? As a friend?" They stop walking and Judy looks into Adrienne emerald eyes, "You trust me, right?" She says quietly.

Adri stares blankly for a minute, then nods slowly, "I trust you."

Judy smiles gently and speaks with a quiet tone. She pulls a chair up and slowly takes a seat. "Can I ask you something, Adri?" She hesitates for a short while before saying, "What happened between you and Nick?"

Adrienne sighs and sits cross-legged on the floor in front of Judy, "After I was discharged from the military, I ran con schemes to make my money. I was running with Nick for quite a while. We were… more than friends."

Judy looks at her, shocked. "More than friends? You mean…"

Adrienne nods, "There were a few times we had… close encounters. It wasn't like we were in a relationship, it was just for fun."

Judy nods, "Right. Of course."

"Nick called me late one night with his most ambitious scheme yet. We were going to steal thirty thousand dollars from Mayor Lionheart's personal vault. I didn't believe him. I didn't think we could do it. But we did. We gathered a small team, and managed to pull off the heist in less than twenty-four hours. As we were celebrating our success, Nick realized all that money was uncirculated federal reserve currency. The Feds would be able to track wherever that money went. I argued to get rid of it; no point in keeping it. But Nick decided to take the money all for himself. I insisted he get rid of it, and I threatened to turn him in if he didn't. Next thing I remember is waking up in a snowstorm with a knife in my right leg. I barely made it out alive. Ever since, I've sworn never to work with Nicolas Wilde."

Judy nods slowly in disbelief, "It just doesn't seem like him."

Adrienne lets out a short chuckle, "You don't know him like I do."

"Would you ever think of forgiving him? He's different now."

Adri sighs. She sits in silence for a long time before shaking her head, "Sometimes I miss what we had. I miss feeling the touch of someone who cared about me."

Judy puts her paw on Adrienne's shoulder comfortingly, "I care about you."

Adri looks up at Judy gratefully, a gentle smile creeping onto the corner of her mouth. "Thanks."

. . . .

They get in the elevator and head down to the first floor for breakfast. As soon as they enter the cafeteria, a voice comes over the P.A. and says, "Attention, breakfast will be ending in half an hour."

Adrienne gives a quick glance around. The long tables are organized in a neat fashion, with various patients from all walks of life scattered around the room; some are in line getting food, others are just sitting and socializing. She notices a lonely black panther sitting all by himself at one of the tables in the corner, eating his food in silence. The telltale glint of dogtags on his chest gives him away as a veteran.

Adrienne gets her food and sits down quietly across from the panther, he acknowledges her presence with a small smile as he eyes her dogtags, but doesn't say anything to her. They sit in silence for about fifteen minutes before the panther finally says, "Thank you." He sighs, "No one else ever wants to sit by me. They think I'm unstable. After four months here, the first and only person to sit by me is another soldier. That really says something doesn't it?"

"You've been here for four months?" Adrienne asks, "What's it like here? How is it?"

The panther nods, "It's not that bad. They got warm beds, good food, and a few nice people. Behave well, and you might even get out a little early." He nods and respectfully shakes Adri's paw in greeting, "I'm Tony."

"Adrienne."

Judy and Nick sit at a table together, watching Adri from a distance. "Look at her," Judy says with a smile, "Making friends already. Hey, knowing her, she's gonna wanna hit the gym after this. You wanna take her up there?"

Nick nods, "Sure. Second floor, right?"

"And to the left out of elevator C."

. . . .

As Adri and Tony finish their breakfast, Tony nods and stands up, picking up his empty tray. "It was nice talking to someone for once. I uh… I look forward to talking to you again."

Adrienne smiles and nods, "You too."

Judy and Nick approach her and Judy steps forward, "Adri, I have to leave for an interview today, so Nick is going to show you where your room is, as well as the gym, the lounge, and all that great stuff. Okay?"

Adrienne looks confused, "My room? We just came from there?"

Judy nods, "That was your temporary room while you were passed out. Now that you're up and around, you're being moved to something a little more homely."

"Judy, is that interview about me?"

Judy sighs, "Yes."

Adri looks down slightly and nods, "Okay," She says quietly.

Nick gestures for her to follow him, "C'mon." he says. Adri only responds with a cold look as she budges in front of him and takes the lead.

"I can find my own way around, Wilde."

. . . .

As the two stand in the elevator together in silence, Adri begins to think about what they used to have. Judy's words keep ringing in the back of her mind, " _He's different now."_ She glances over at him to find him looking forlornly at her. He quickly turns away from her when she looks at him. Adri sighs and looks at Nick, "You will speak of this to no one." She says before taking him completely by surprise and kissing him right on the face. The kiss only lasts a fraction of a second, but when Adri pulls away, Nick is wide-eyed and speechless. Adri stares into his eyes as the elevator doors open, "If word gets out about that, you will wake up with your ears stapled to your eyeballs. Understand?" She says threateningly. She steps out of the elevator as Nick nods, terrified and confused. The elevator dings and the doors close, leaving Nick alone to process what just happened.

. . . .


	8. Chapter 8

. . . .

That night, Adrienne finally finds her new room in the west corridor on the fourth floor of the building. The room is all the way down at the end of the hallway, and a sign on the door reads, _"Lt. Adrienne Softpaw."_

"Lieutenant?" She mutters, shaking her head. The room is small, with a single bed, an empty bookshelf, a nightstand, and a barred off window that gives her a semi-decent view of the outside world.

There is a gentle knock on the door as a familiar voice says quietly, "Special delivery."

Adrienne sighs and opens the door aggressively. "What do you want, Wilde?"

Nick smiles and reaches into his bag, pulling out the small box Director Lupus had given her. "You left this in your other room." He says, holding it out to her.

She swipes it from him quickly and sets it on her nightstand. "Gimme that. Why are you here?"

"Dinner's on in fifteen minutes. Do everyone a favor and make yourself presentable." Nick says before closing the door.

. . . .

When Adri gets downstairs to the cafeteria, Tony is sitting at the table in the corner, looking at the TV mounted on the wall. Adri sits down next to him to find out what he's looking at. The news is on, and of course, it's about her.

"That does it for weather tonight. Let's see what the word on the street is." The news anchor says. "What have you got for us tonight?" He says, looking at the other reporter.

The reporter nods, "Yes, well the Adrienne Softpaw case came to a close last night with the missing veteran being found in a bar not far from the police station. I interviewed Officer Judy Hopps earlier today about it."

Judy appears onscreen with the reporter, "So, Officer Hopps. Tell us about Adrienne Softpaw." The reporter says.

Judy nods, "We found her in a bar last night. As of now, she's a little unstable, a little dangerous. But we're working with her one on one to make a full recovery."

Adri gets up and leaves the table, saying nothing as she walks away, obviously extremely agitated.

She storms up to her room and slams the door. She leans against the wall, trying to slow her breathing. She feels alone. Betrayed. Forgotten. A burning rage fills her heart as she rips the bookshelf off the wall and it topples to the floor with a satisfying crash. She flips her bed on its side and kicks her nightstand over as Judy's words repeat over and over in her mind.

 _Unstable_

She rips one of the steel bars off the window and bashes her head against the glass, shattering it.

 _Dangerous_

She punches straight through the drywall, busting her knuckles before collapsing to the floor.

. . . .

About an hour later, Judy approaches Adri's door and stops in her tracks when she hears sobbing coming from inside the bedroom. Judy cautiously and softly knocks on the door, "Adri.." She says slowly, "Adri, are you okay?"

"Go away!" Adri screams. "I don't want to hurt you."

Judy slowly opens the door and looks around in shock and horror. Furniture is destroyed and strewn around. Broken glass covers the floor, and claw marks score the walls. Adri lies on the floor in tears, wrists bleeding, screaming in agony.

. . . .


End file.
